Early bird Olivia Luepnitz, 6, of St. Ignace, was so excited for the day's events, she woke up at 3 a.m. Saturday. Arriving at the ponds with her grandfather, Frank Luepnitz, and greatgrandfather, Roger Blaisdell, by 10 a.m., she proudly displays her first catch of the day. Tangled fishing lines, and freed bobbers sailed through the air as young anglers took to the shores of Castle Rock Ponds Saturday, June 7, during the 12th annual Kids Fishing Day. Some parents and grandparents also tried their luck there during the statewide free weekend of fishing.

At the ponds, in the Hiawatha National Forest just north of St. Ignace, fish mostly outsmarted the sportsmen, with only a few caught during the four-hour event, although the spirits of both young and old fishermen never wavered in anticipation of success with each cast of the line.

Parents and grandparents reported youngsters waking up as early as three in the morning, ready to head to the ponds. Such eager anglers included three-year-old Kyra Spencer.

"I'm ready to go," announced Miss Spencer at 5 a.m., reported her mother, Wendy McCluskey. The youngster quickly volunteered to wait in the van while the rest of the family got ready.

Standing at a lucky favorite spot or just hoping to avoid the bugs, anglers line the shores of Castle Rock ponds Saturday. While three experienced fishermen (back) cast lines, twins (left) Adrian Coleman, 8, and Maddy Coleman (back right) prepare to catch some fish. Near the water's edge are Drew Coleman, 3, (front, right) and Chelsey Coleman, 5. Also excited to cast a line and keep a watchful eye on her bobber, Olivia Luepnitz woke her family up at 3 a.m. Saturday, before being tucked back into bed for a few more hours. By 10:30 a.m., the six-yearold had caught her first fish of the day.

Gavin St. Onge, 12, caught a few fish. He has attended the event three times.

"I enjoy fishing," he said. "Fishing is a great sport and anyone can do it."

"It's fun to be out here," agreed Keegan Fulgenzi, 11, who also attended last year, with a fishing day friend, Ryan Litzner, 11. This year, Kameron Fulgenzi came along with the boys and enjoyed the challenge of keeping a worm on his hook as fish eagerly nibbled it off without getting caught.

Young and experienced fishermen gather around the catch and release fishing tank Saturday, June 7, during the Kids Fishing Day as Jerry Kahn of Cedarbrook Trout Farms in Harrisonville adds 150 rainbow trout to the water. Children soon lifted poles, ready to catch the fish. They were then transported by bucket to one of the Castle Rock ponds. Meadow Greenlee of Mackinac Island took the ferry to St. Ignace in the morning to learn about the sport and fishing terms from her father, Lance Greenlee.

"I like casting," she said. "It's fun."

The St. Ignace event coincides with the state's program offering two days each June when all fishing license fees are waived for residents and visitors taking part in the sport on both inland and Great Lakes waters. Fishing regulations still apply during these days.

Local volunteers were preparing the Castle Rock pond site Friday night when strong winds and a thunderstorm blew through the area, said Louie Colegrove, event organizer from the Straits Area Sportsmen's Club.

Keeping his work close to the ground, Kameron Fulgenzi, 10, of St. Ignace, who hopes to catch the "big one," carefully puts a very active worm on his hook. "We didn't know whether to let it go," said Mr. Colegrove of the main tent, "or hang on. We decided to hang on and it stayed up."

By the next morning, 210 young anglers had registered to fish and enter prize drawings.

Shortly before 10 a.m., the St. Ignace Fire Department filled a 1,500-gallon portable holding tank with water.

The Sportsmen's Club contributed 150, 12- to 14-inch rainbow trout placed in the tank. Standing alongside the tank, youngsters can watch the fish and try to catch them.

The fish then are released into the ponds, where they are available for fishermen throughout the year.

About 30 volunteers from service organizations and members of the Hiawatha National Forest Service helped teach casting, registered the young anglers for prizes, untangled lines, and cooked 460 hot dogs, which were free to those attending.

Lance Greenlee of Mackinac Island and his daughter, Meadow, took the ferry to St. Ignace Saturday, June 7, to participate in Kids Fishing Day at Castle Rock ponds. The day marked Miss Greenlee's first time fishing. "I like casting," she said. "It's fun." Anglers were offered containers of worms and fishing poles if they did not have them. Volunteers handed out 123 prizes that included fishing

poles and tackle boxes.